Elastic band type gun

ABSTRACT

A sling shot gun having a stock and barrel and a housing. Pivotally supported by the housing is an L-shaped member including a holding and release member and a horizontal portion supported to extend from the housing and to pivot between holding and release positions for holding and releasing the end of a resilient sling and a projectile. A biasing member is provided for biasing the holding and release member to its holding position. A trigger is supported by the housing to pivot between holding and release positions. The trigger is normally biased against the L-shaped member for retaining the holding and release member in its holding position. Movement of the trigger toward its release position releases the holding and release member to release the sling and the projectile. The holding and release member is positioned on top of the top portion that covers the open space at the rear end of the gun.

United States Patent 1191 Crowson ELASTIC BAND TYPE GUN [76] Inventor: Ray E. Crowson, Rte. 11, Box 522,

Texarkana, Tex. 75501 22 Filed: July 7, 1971 211 Appl.N0.: 160,337

[52] US. Cl 124/17, 124/41, 124/35, 124/ 18 [51] Int. CL... F4lb 7/00 [58] Field of Search 124/35, 41, 17, 26, 124/27 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,486,403 3/1924 Watkins 124/35 X 2,642,057 1 6/1953 Watkins 124/35 X 1,469,610 10/1923 Ustynik 124/35 X 1,941,082 12/1933 Giese 124/35 UX 2,500,509 3/1950 Bailey 124/35 X 2,842,114 7/1958 Duncan... 124/35 X 3,509,863 5/1970 Barkerm. 124/35 UX 1 July 17, 1973 Primary Examiner--Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne Att0rney-William T. Wofford et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A sling shot gun having a stock and barrel and a housing. Pivotally supported by the housing is an L-shaped member including a holding and release member and a horizontal portion supported to extend from the housing and to pivot between holding and release positions for holding and releasing the end of a resilient sling and a projectile. A biasing member is provided for biasing the holding and release member to its holding position. A trigger is supported by the housing to pivot between holding and release positions. The trigger is normally biased against the L-shaped member for retaining the holding and-release member in its holding position. Movement of the trigger toward its release position releases the holding and release member to release the sling and the projectile. The holding and release member is positioned on top of the top portion that covers the open space at the rear end of the gun.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures K I [21A ELASTIC BAND TYPE GUN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a sling shotgun that is simple, reliable and easy to use in that it is self-cocking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The gun comprises a stock portion having a barrel for extendingtherefrom and a housing. Also included is a pivotally supported. means includinga holding-and release member supported to extend from. the housing and=topivot between holding and release positions for holding andreleasing the end of a resilientsling means.

Biasing means is provided forbiasingthe holding and release member toward itsholding'position whereby it is seII cocking; Trigger means is supportedby thehousingto pivotbetweenholdingand releasepositions and means is provided for normally biasing the trigger means toward its holding position for retaining the holding and release member initsholding position. Movement of the trigger means towarditsrelease position, releases the holding and release member to release the sling. Thepivotally supportedmeans is supportedto pivotabouta first axis while the trigger means issupportedto-pivot about adifferent axis.

In the embodiment disclosed the pivotally supported means is generally L-shaped and includes the holding and release member and a generally transversememher. The trigger means includes a gripping portion and a secondportion for engaging the transverse member for retaining the transverse member and the holding and release member in its holding position when the. trigger means isin its holding position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS spring. respectively,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring toFIG. 1," there isillustrated a gun I] having a stock portion 13 and a barrel portion 15. In the embodiment disclosed the stock and barrel are integral with each other and are formed of wood. Attached to the stock portion by way of a rivet I7 is a metal housing 19, U-shaped in cross section. As illustrated in FIG. 2,. the housing encloses a portion of a U-shaped slot 2] and a trigger slot 23 formed in the stock. Extending from one side of the housing to the other and. through the slots are rivets 25 and 27 which act as pivot shafts for a pivotally supported member 29 and a trigger means 31 respectively. The pivotally supported membet is L-shaped and comprises a holding and release member 41 and a transverse portion 43 integral with member 41. As seen in FIG. 3, the member 27 has its lower end cut or notched in two places forming two side pieces 45 and 47 and a central piece forming the member. 43. Member 43 is bent transverse to member 41 while side pieces 45 and 47 are bent in a hook shape configuration for surrounding the pivot shaft 25 and provide support for member 29 allowing it to pivot between a holding position illustrated in FIG. I and a release position shown in dotted form in FIG. 2.

The retainer spring 51, also shown in FIG. 4, is provided for normally biasingthe member 29 in its holding. position. In this position the member 41 islocated in a position generally transverse to the axis of the barrel 15. Althoughnot shown the back edge of the member 41 will be biased by the spring 51 to engage the back edge 21a of the slot2l,.when in its holding position. In its release position, the member4lwill move in the forward direction generally parallel tothe axisof the barrel 15 as illustrated in dottedform in FIG. 2. A relief 53 is cut inthe back edge ofithe top of the housing 19 to allowthe member 41 to move in .a generally parallel position to the axis of the barrell5 andflat againstthe top ofthe gun as illustratedinFIG. 2.

The trigger means 31: comprises aforefinger gripping portion 31a and anengaging and release portion 3lb. The spring 55,,also shown in FIG. 5,,is providednormally biasing the trigger means in its holding position illustratedin FIG. 2; Inthis position, the top of the engaging portionr31bengagesthe bottomof the transverse member 43 thereby preventing the member 29 and hence the extendingmember-4l from moving to its release position. When the trigger means 31 isin its holding position, the gun I] is ready to be loaded. In the preferred embodiment, the gun is provided with an elastic band 57 havingone endsecured to the forward end 15a of the barrel and the other end having a leather pouch 61 coupled thereto. This pouch is providedfor holding, with the aid of member 41, a projectile 63 which is released by pulling the gripping portion 31a in a backward direction. In the holding position, as illustrated, the projectile 63 is located between the back portion of the member 41 and the pouch 61. When the gripping portion 31a is pulled backward, the trigger means3l is moved to its release position illustrated in dotted form in FIG. 2. In this position, the engaging portion 31b movesfrom under the transverse member 43 allowing the member 29 and hence the extending member 41 to be pulled by the elastic band 57 to its release position thereby releasing. theelastic band and the projectile.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3,'and 4, the spring 51 comprises thetail portion 51a held in position by the front portion of the rivet 27. Extendingfrom the: tail portion 51a is a cross member Slbhaving opposite ends coiled around opposite ends of the rivet 25. Thus thespring 5l biases and snaps the retainer ormember 4] 1 into its holding position after the projectile has been released. In one embodiment this spring is constructed of 0.020 diameter music wire spring steel. i

The spring has a hook portion 55a which hooks in front of the engaging portion 31b-of the trigger. It has a lower portion which encircles the rivet 27 and. a tail portion 55b which engages thefront surface of the slot 21. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the tail 55b is transverse to the portion 550 extending from the coil portion. As indicated above, the purpose of spring 55 is to bias or move the trigger into its ready or holding position after the projectile has been released. In one embodiment, the spring 55 is constructed of 0.035 diameter music wire spring steel.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the elastic band 57 is held in place by a transverse slot 15B fonned in the face 15A of the barrel 15. This provides a simple arrangement for securing the band to the front face of the barre] 15. With the band 57 having its ends extending from both sides of the barrel 15, the pouch is allowed to readily release its projectile without interference.

In the preferred embodiment, the gun 11 is provided for holding and releasing a projectile which may be a rock, marble, etc. It is to be understood, however, that the gun could be employed to shoot a rubber band itself rather than a rock or the like. In this respect the front surface 15a of the barrel 15 is notched inward with a relatively large radius of curvature for releasably holding one end of an elastic band, the other end of which is held by the member 41. In this embodiment, when the trigger is pulled, the member 41 will release the elastic band which then will be projected forward.

I claim:

1. A gun comprising:

a stock portion having an elongated barrel portion extending therefrom,

an open space formed in said gun at a position spaced rearward from the forward end of said barrel portion,

top and bottom openings leading to said open space from the top and bottom sides of said gun respectively,

a pivotally supported member supported for pivotal movement about a first axis between holding and release positions,

said pivotally supported member including a holding and release portion and a generally transverse portion,

said holding and release portion being adapted to hold one end of a stretched resilient member,

said first axis comprising a support member located within said open space at a position sufficient to allow said holding and release portion to extend through said top opening above the top of said gun when said pivotally supported member is in its holding position for holding a resilient member having an end coupled to the forward end of said barrel portion and to pivot to a forward position generally parallel to the elongated axis of said barrel portion when said pivotally supported member is in its release position for releasing the resilient member,

said transverse portion of said pivotally supported member extending in a generally forward direction relative to said holding and release portion when said pivotally supported member is in its-holding position and extending generally downward into said open space when said pivotally supported member is in its release position,

first biasing means for biasing said pivotally supported member toward its holding position,

a trigger member supported to pivot about a second axis between holding and release positions,

said second axis comprising a support member located within said open space,

said trigger member including a gripping portion extending through said bottom opening to the bottom side of said gun and a second portion which engages said transverse portion of said pivotally supported member when it is in its holding position and when said trigger member is in its holding position for retaining said pivotally supported member in its holding position,

said trigger member being adapted to pivot to its release position to locate its second portion forward of said transverse portion of said pivotally supported member when said gripping portion is pulled rearward to release said pivotally supported member from its holding position,

second biasing means for biasing said trigger member toward its holding position a housing member including a top portion covering a portion of said open space forward of said top opening, said pivotally supported member comprising a generally L-shaped member, said biased holding and release portion of said pivotally supported member being positioned on top of said top portion during the release of a resilient member when said trigger member is not in engagement within the transverse portion.

2. The gun of claim 1 wherein:

said first and second biasing members are separate spring members.

3. The gun of claim 2 comprising the combination therewith of a resilient sling:

a transverse slot formed in the forward face of said barrel portion for securing one end of said resilient sling thereto;

the other end of the sling with a projectile located between said other end and said holding and release portion being adapted to beheld and released by said holding and release portion.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3,7 4-5,986 Dated July 1 19 3 Inventor(s) ay Crowson It iQcettiiied that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shownbelow:

IN THE ABSTRACT Line 3, cancel "and" Line bxcancelma horizontal portion".

In the last line after "gun" and before the period insert rduring the release of the s1ing--.

CLAIM 1 Column A, line 32, after "said", add --second portion of Column line "33, cancel "within the" andadd*f-with said.

Column line, 3 after "portion" and before the period (t. add --of said pivotally supported membert Signed and Sealedthis 1st day of January (SEAL) 1 Attes t:

"EDWARD M.FLETG E ,JR. RENE D. TEGTMEYER" Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents ou 90-1050 (10-69) t i I ugcoMwpc 3",? 

1. A gun comprising: a stock portion having an elongated barrel portion extending therefrom, an open space formed in said gun at a position spaced rearward from the forward end of said barrel portion, top and bottom openings leading to said open space from the top and bottom sides of said gun respectively, a pivotally supported member supported for pivotal movement about a first axis between holding and release positions, said pivotally supported member including a holding and release portion and a generally transverse portion, said holding and release portion being adapted to hold one end of a stretched resilient member, said first axis comprising a support member located within said open space at a position sufficient to allow said holding and release portion to extend through said top opening above the top of said gun when said pivotally supported member is in its holding position for holding a resilient member having an end coupled to the forward end of said barrel portion and to pivot to a forward position generally parallel to the elongated axis of said barrel portion when said pivotally supported member is in its release position for releasing the resilient member, said transverse portion of said pivotally supported member extending in a generally forward direction relative to said holding and release portion when said pivotally supported member is in its holding position and extending generally downward into said open space when said pivotally supported member is in its release position, first biasing means for biasing said pivotally supported member toward its holding position, a trigger member supported to pivot about a second axis between holding and release positions, said second axis comprising a support member located within said open space, said trigger member including a gripping portion extending through said bottom opening to the bottom side of said gun and a second portion which engages said transverse portion of said pivotally supported member when it is in its holding position and when said trigger member is in its holding position for retaining said pivotally supported member in its holding position, said trigger member being adapted to pivot to its release position to locate its second portion forward of said transverse portion of said pivotally supported member when said gripping portion is pulled rearward to release said pivotally supported member from its holding position, second biasing means for biasing said trigger member toward its holding position a housing member including a top portion covering a portion of said open space forward of said top opening, said pivotally supported member comprising a generally L-shaped member, said biased holding and release portion of said pivotally supported member being positioned on top of said top portion during the release of a resilient member when said trigger member is not in engagemeNt within the transverse portion.
 2. The gun of claim 1 wherein: said first and second biasing members are separate spring members.
 3. The gun of claim 2 comprising the combination therewith of a resilient sling: a transverse slot formed in the forward face of said barrel portion for securing one end of said resilient sling thereto; the other end of the sling with a projectile located between said other end and said holding and release portion being adapted to be held and released by said holding and release portion. 